Our son (8) has all of a sudden started peeing in the trash or on the carpet can instead of in the potty. Anyone else seeing this or know what causes this? He is really moody lately - is currently taking Astari to get through the school day but as soon as he gets home he's whiny, scream yells to get what he wants etc. He is currently taking the max dose of Guanfacine after school. We meet with the med dr to talk about anxiety on 9/11 as he is constantly chewing his fingers to the point where he hardly has any fingernails left. He doesn't sleep in his room at night but on the floor next to me is where he feels safe. Just seeing if anyone has experienced this before or if he has other neurological problems I need to be talking to the dr about? I just don't know what to do anymore without coming across to him as frustrated (when I am) and letting him feel all the feels.
Something new.....: Our son (8) has all... - CHADD's ADHD Pare...
Something new.....
Dear Momatwitsend:
Thank you for contacting CHADD's National Resource Center on ADHD. When you check in with your child's doctor, make sure to mention this new behavior and be specific as possible. In other words, note when the behavior happens. Is it after school only? Is it at night or during sleep? These are important pieces that will help the doctor figure out if the behavior is a side effect of the medication or if it is indicative of another condition.
Many times ADHD co-occurs with other conditions. Here is some information about the types of conditions that most often co-occur with ADHD. chadd.org/about-adhd/coexis...
You've described that your child chews their nails, make sure to mention this also to the doctor. If your child hasn't been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, this may be something to consider as sometimes a stimulant medication can increase anxiety if there is a co-occurring anxiety condition. Also, it can take a while to find the right medication as there is not a one-size fits all medication and many times it is trial and error. chadd.org/for-parents/manag...
You can ask your child's doctor if they think further evaluation might be needed to rule out a co-occurring condition. Here is more information on the types of medical practitioners that can diagnose and treat ADHD. chadd.org/about-adhd/profes...
As a parent, it can be helpful to ask yourself whether or not your child is being willful with their behavior or if it something that they cannot control. When I looked at my own child's behavior, I often found that they were not acting out of spite but most often couldn't control their behavior and needed a lot more guidance and tools from me. Raising kids with ADHD is an extremely demanding job even when we have tools available. No doubt, you are doing just fine but I know the road can be rocky at best. Please don't forget to give yourself grace and take some time out of caregiving to take care of yourself!
If you have further questions, please let us know!
Sincerely,
Jami
Health Information Team Manager
CHADD's National Resource Center on ADHD
Hi9 year old does all these from time to time. Not convinced it's the meds - more like impulsivity. Certainly there is a bit of anxiety but more related to school. The meltdown after the meds wear off can be extreme, so we counter this by always having a physical activity suggestion or sometimes letting them chill out with tv or phone undisturbed for a while. There are no other neurological conditions, although I am aware of another child who is similar and has combined autism and adhd.
We have experienced the same with my 9 yo son sporadically. It was very concerning & frustrating when it happened bc for we could not identify a cause or trigger, or if it was voluntary or not. He does have anxiety and he also takes Guanfacine. I am not sure if it was related to the medicine or something else. I do not have much insight or advice to offer, but have experienced the same and it stopped just as inexplicably as it started. I hope you are able to get some answers and resolution.
guanfacein didn’t work for my partner or stepkid either. They both got light headed and the kiddo feinted. This medication is made to lower blood pressure initially, so it works with ADHD to suppress heightened emotions. He could be having trouble because he can’t process things appropriately because of feeling sleepy/loopy. I know when I’m overly tired, I’m cranky and do things that don’t make sense. He does sound like he has a lot of anxiety too. IMHO, he needs to try a different med. with all of these side effects, you may want to request a gene sight test. It will tell you which meds have adverse effects with the specific genetics.
My 9 year old was on the max dose of Guanfacine and we noticed larger mood swing throughout the day so in taking with his pediatrician we reduced his dosage. My son also starts in his room sleeping and normally around 200-300am gets up and tries to get in our bed. Sometimes I will move him immediately back if i hear him come in, but then need to stay with him in his room until he fells asleep. Sometimes though I don't even realize he is in my bed until the morning. Our doctor thinks its an anxiety issue with him and wanting to be safe as you said. Our doctor suggested so SSRI therapy (zoloft) or SNRI (strattera or qelbree) as she thinks may have more anxiety/OCD tendencies than ADHD ones. We haven't pursued either option yet, but he is seeing a therapist regarding his "big emotions/anger/frustrations" which generally only happen at home. At school, sports, social settings, church etc he doesn't normally display "big emotions/anger/frustrations" My wife and I sometimes are at our wits end but from my understanding it's a learning process for all families and in some cases trial and error with different approaches (meds/therapy) for a while until you find the right combination that works for your child.
The first thing that came to my mind was perhaps get him checked to see if there's a UTI, bladder, or kidney infection, just to rule it out. If it's nothing physical, are there things going on at school, maybe, like bullying, etc.??? Talking to the Dr. about anxiety is also wise. My son would not sleep without one of us in the room, but anxiety medication has helped tremendously so that he now sleeps alone. ((hugs))
Hi! Is he only peeing the other places rarely or out of convenience? Are they accidents or intentional?
My son (7yo) will pee outside often to avoid coming in to use the bathroom (we're out camping and on the trail a lot, so he is used to peeing outside often).
There are so many symptoms and side effects to ADHD, other conditions and the medications. Know you're not alone in figuring out these puzzles to help our kids succeed! I hope you're able to sort through some of it!
My guess is he is doing it in secret? Our boy did this at age 7 for a couple of months. He would urinate in random places throughout the house. Oh what fun that was. Anyway, he did it because, as he put it, he was bored and frustrated with us. Once we worked out the underlying issues, he never did it again.
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